The present invention relates to an apparatus for dewatering wet laundry. Known devices of this type consist of a base plate with water drain openings and a bell mounted on a frame with an elastic membrane therein which claps over wet laundry deposited on the base plate. The wall of the bell encloses the laundry. By forcing a fluid pressure medium into the space in the bell above the membrane, the membrane is urged against the laundry and presses excess moisture out of it. The forces which thereby arise are transmitted by the frame on which the bell is mounted to the foundation under the press. This arrangement is very expensive to construct. Furthermore, because of the way the apparatus is constructed, this process can only be carried out in discontinuous fashion.